These days, the internet is such a heavily integrated part of our lives that we don’t even think about how frequently we go online for something or another. After all, most of us use the internet daily for work or school, but that doesn’t account for the fun and frivolous things we choose to use the internet for. Looking up a video on YouTube is a pretty obvious internet usage, but think about how many times a day you pull out your smartphone to check your email or scroll through your social media accounts. Or, even more innocuous, what about the frequency at which you send a text message with a picture attached? Or simply rely on your phone to more accurately tell time? Nearly everything we do on our smartphones relies on internet connectivity in some fashion, which means that most of us are hopping online without even thinking about it, day-in and day-out.
Of course, leave the country, and you’ll notice pretty quickly just how much you use the internet in your day to day life. Most of us take for granted how easy it is to get on the computer at work or open a laptop at home and dive into whatever it is we need to do. It becomes apparent as soon as you can no longer do so with ease. Even a smartphone becomes next to useless overseas. It’s usually a choice between using it as a pocket-sized camera and nothing else or a particularly expensive phone you opt to funnel money into every time you use it. If you’re lucky, you’ll be staying in a hotel that offers free internet connectivity, but that will only help when you’re back in your room for the night. So what’s the answer to getting online overseas? One of the best options available is a portable or travel WiFi router.
What Is a Portable WiFi Router?
A portable WiFi router is essentially what it sounds like; it’s an internet connection device not much larger than your smartphone made to provide you with a WiFi hotspot anywhere you go. Simply pop in a SIM card or get the appropriate plan, and all you have to do is power up the device and connect your tablet, laptop, or smartphone to get online. The most complicated part of these devices is how you’ll connect the device to the internet—a problem that isn’t even all that difficult, it just requires a bit of planning.
Generally speaking, most travel WiFi router devices rely on a SIM card, which tells the device how to connect to a signal in much the same way as your cell phone gets online. This means that you can connect to the internet pretty much anywhere you can get a signal. The big flashing warning is that, like your cell phone, that portable WiFi router could easily rack up roaming charges if you don’t have the appropriate plan.
Overseas Internet Options
If you’re looking for a way to get online while you travel, there are a couple of different options available to you. One of the deciding factors will be what you need the internet connection for. If you’re just looking for a way to use your phone’s map app sporadically, you can purchase an inexpensive pay as you go phone or a SIM card for your smartphone to use while you’re overseas. Both of these options will allow you to place calls, send texts, and go online at the local rate, but be warned: you won’t be able to call home without incurring international fees and, if you’re traveling through multiple countries, you’ll probably need to get a different device or SIM card in each region.
If you’re looking for a way to be able to use more than just your smartphone and/or you want to be able to call home without exorbitant international calling rates, you’ll probably be better off finding an overseas WiFi router. A portable WiFi modem will let you use most of the features on your smartphone as well as go online on any other devices you may be bringing with you. It means you can create your own wireless internet hotspot wherever you go and keep up with your favorite Netflix shows, check emails, and even place calls using a video calling service like Skype or Facetime. The biggest factor for any portable internet device will be getting a plan so you can get online.
Internet Without International Rates
At Sapphire Mobile Hotspot, we’ve seen time and again that one of the biggest issues with an overseas WiFi router is finding a connection option that doesn’t incur those crazy international rates. With most devices, you’d need to purchase a separate SIM card or data plan for each region, which can quickly become a hassle. In order to overcome that hurdle, we designed an overseas WiFi router with a virtual SIM card. This allows you to connect locally, rather than face those international charges and, because it’s a virtual SIM, you can swap from one region to the next at the click of a few buttons. We wanted to create a portable internet device that was actually useful, no matter where life takes you. With the Sapphire Mobile Hotspot overseas WiFi router, you can stay as connected as you please anywhere you go.
We originally designed our wireless internet hotspot device for our military service members. Deployments often mean missing major life milestones back home, so we sought to create a way that our military men and women could keep in touch with everyone back home more easily. Now, we’re making that technology available to everyone. Whether you’re traveling for business or being deployed for several months, you shouldn’t have to rely on sporadic internet connectivity to keep up with everyone and everything at home. No matter where life takes you, keep in touch with life back home. You can learn more about the unique features of our device here and shop Sapphire Mobile Hotspot overseas WiFi router online today!